1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector mating structure in which a movable moving member is provided on one of a female connector and a male connector, cam mechanisms are respectively provided on the moving member and the other connector, and the moving force of the moving member is converted to a connector inserting force by the cam mechanisms, so as to effect the engagement of the connector with a small manipulating force.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-109445, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 13 to 17 show a connector mating structure of the above-described type, and also, the structure is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho. 61-203581. FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a female connector and a male connector are separated. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an early state of engagement between the female connector and the male connector. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an intermediate state of engagement therebetween. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a completed state of the engagement. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a direction of pressing by cam mechanism.
In FIGS. 13 to 16, a connector accommodating chamber 4 for accommodating a male connector 3 is provided in a female housing 2 of a female connector 1, and an inserting port 4a for insertion of the connector is open in the connector accommodating chamber 4. Elongated holes 5 for moving are respectively formed in opposite side walls of the female housing 2, and cam pins 7 of a moving member 6 are respectively inserted in the elongated holes 5. The moving member 6 comprises a pair of side plate portions 6a which are respectively disposed on the outer sides of the opposite side walls of the female housing 2 and a connecting plate portion 6b for connecting the pair of side plate portions 6a. The aforementioned cam pins 7 are provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of side plate portions 6a. As the cam pins 7 are guided and restricted by the elongated holes 5 for moving and the like, the moving member 6 moves in a direction perpendicular to a connector-inserting direction with respect to the female connector 1.
Cam grooves 9 are respectively provided in opposite side walls of a male housing 8 of the male connector 3, and each of the pair of cam grooves 9 has a straight groove portion 9a oriented in the same direction as the connector-inserting direction and an inclined groove portion 9b which is inclined with respect to the connector-inserting direction. The cam mechanism is formed by the pair of cam grooves 9 and the aforementioned cam pins 7.
Next, a description will be given of the engaging operation of the above-described connector mating structure with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16. As shown in FIG. 14, the moving member 6 is fitted in the female connector 1, and the male connector 3 is inserted into the connector accommodating chamber 4 of the female connector 1 through the inserting port 4a. Then, the cam pins 7 of the moving member 6 are inserted into the cam grooves 9 on both sides of the male connector 3, and the cam pins 7 of the male connector 3 respectively pass through the straight groove portions 9a of the cam grooves 9 and are inserted up to immediately before the inclined groove portions 9b, as shown in FIG. 15.
Next, if the moving member 6 is moved in the direction of arrow in FIG. 15, the cam pins 7 are subjected to a pressing force by the inclined groove portions 9b, and the male connector 3 is pulled into the connector accommodating chamber 4 of the female connector 1 by a component of this pressing force. Then, when the moving member 6 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 16, the cam pins 7 reach the terminating ends of the inclined groove portions 9b, and the engagement of the connector is thereby completed. In addition, terminals (not shown) are respectively provided inside the housings 2 and 8 of the connectors 1 and 3, both terminals are set in a state of pressure contact with each other in this engaging process, thereby allowing the terminals to electrically conduct with each other.
In the above-described connector mating structure, however, since all the inclined groove portions 9b of the cam grooves 9 of the moving member 6 are inclined in the same direction, all the directions in which the cam pins 7 are pressed assume the same direction. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 17, of components f1 and f2 of a pressing force F, the component f1 which does not act in the connector pulling-in direction acts in the same direction in all the inclined groove portions 9b, and the resultant of these components f1 acts on the male connector 3 and on the female connector 1 through the male connector 3. Since the connector is engaged in the state in which the female connector 1 or the male connector 3 is normally attached to a baseplate or the like, a trouble can occur such as the breakage of an attached portion by the resultant of the components f1.
In addition, since the connecting plate portion 6b of the moving member 6 is located in such a manner as to project in an area located above (a lower position in FIGS. 14 to 16) the inserting port 4a before and after the engagement of the connector, there is a case that the connecting plate portion 6b is a hindrance to the wiring, a jig or the like. In addition, since the connecting plate portion 6b of the moving member 6 moves in the area located above (the lower position in FIGS. 14 to 16) the inserting port 4a, the bundle of wires (not shown) extending from the rear of the male connector 3 has to be oriented in a direction in which the bundle of wires does not hamper the moving member 6, so that the engaging operation becomes troublesome.